KINGS COACH TERRY MURRAY TINKERS WITH A PINCH OF THIS AND DASH OF THAT

So, a few of us have wondered why Williams (who most of us like) plays the point on the powerplay. It exposed us defensively and we weren’t sure about his shot from the point. Today, we find out that Terry is moving Williams off the point. His concern? Defense. On the powerplay? Yes. An aggressive penalty kill, like that of the Blue Jackets, exposed and continues to expose the Kings to a counter attack when the point man isn’t a defenseman. Terry realizes he needs a defenseman there.

Murray has also, looking for secondary scoring, moved Captain Dustin Brown to the third line (or moved Michal Handzus and Alexander Frolov to the second line, depending on your perspective) and repositioned Wayne Simmonds alongside Ted Purcell and Jared Stoll. This one required a little thought process from yours truly but it may make sense. The two players that the Kings need the secondary scoring from the most are Frolov and Brown. This puts them together with a smart center like Michal Handzus. My only concern is that it creates a line of two players who have been known to go cold for a series of games, the very two from whom we need more scoring.

The last adjustment – looks like we don’t have a number 2 goaltender for now. The choices are Jonathan Quick and Jonathan Quick. Here is what coach Murray had to say to Hammond:

MURRAY: “I was wishing I had just stayed with a player, Quicker, who was starting to get his game and playing well.”

Question: What does that mean for the next few games?

MURRAY: “It means I’m playing Quick right now. I had a plan that was penciled in, and I erased it.”

Question: Do you still have faith in Ersberg?

MURRAY: “I need him to be looking really, really good in practice. He’s got to be right on top of things right now. It’s been a long time since there’s been a win for him, going back to the middle of December last year, and I really need to see `A’ game in practice. You know, he’s battling the flu right now himself, so there’s just no way that he’s going to go in until he gets himself back to full strength and then builds from that point, and then we’ll decide.”

Question: Any thought, on your part, of bringing up Bernier?

MURRAY: “On my part? Me, specifically?”

Question: You and Dean…

MURRAY: “No, there’s not. No. Bernier is, from what I’m reading, is doing great. He’s playing, he’s winning, the team is winning, they’re in first place down there, and that was part of the decision coming out of the training camp. This is what he needs to do, Bernier, is to go play. I’ve got confidence that Quick is going to do the job for us.”

Question: You’ll keep playing him until he gives you a reason not to?

MURRAY: “The more he played… You know, he was getting on a roll and he was starting to play a real solid game when we got into New York. The only reason I made the change was because of my plan. Right now, I’m just going to play Quick.”

The Kings take on the Dallas Stars tomorrow night at home. Pucks drops at 7:30pm.